New Delhi: Red Fort in the national capital was on the radar of Indian Mujahideen, as one of the arrested operatives of the terror outfit has revealed that a recce of the Mughal-era monument was carried out.
Shaquib Ansari, who was arrested from Jodhpur, Rajasthan on Sunday had recceed Red Fort and also took photographs, according to a senior police official associated with the investigation.
Five IM operatives have been arrested by the Delhi Police during the last seven days from Rajasthan and India-Nepal border.
There interrogation has already revealed that other tourist hotspots like Agra (UP), Jodhpur, Bharatpur and Gopalgarh (all in Rajasthan) were also on their target and they had carried out recce of these places.
"Their interrogation has revealed that they had two things in mind; first to target tourist hotspots and the second to carry out attacks where communal riots took place or wherever they felt that atrocities were meted out to Muslims," the official said.
Gopalgarh in Rajasthan was on their list as communal violence had taken place in that area in 2009. Sources said that they wanted to target a tourist destination as that would have given them more publicity.
Special Cell of Delhi Police had arrested Zia Ur Rehman alias Waqas on Saturday from Ajmer and then nabbed Mahruf and Waqar from Jaipur while Shaquib Ansari was arrested from Jodhpur at Waqas` instance on Sunday.
On their instance, Tehsin Akhtar alias Monu, the present India chief of IM was arrested from Indo-Nepal border in Darjeeling district on Tuesday.
"Mahruf, Waqar and Shaquib had shared their idea with five people in Jodhpur and six in Sikar. Although the youth from Sikar and Jodhpur were not actively involved but they had a meeting in which members of the Rajasthan module had told them that they are in touch with some jehadi elements, whose stance is pro-Talibani and if they will do something in the future, there help will also be sought," the official said.
Delhi Police shared this information and identity of these people with Rajasthan police and five people from Sikar and five from Jodhpur were arrested by ATS Rajasthan in this connection so far, police said.
"Although they were not given any strategic roles, neither they were told about who the jehadi elements were but there was meeting of mind to do jihad, they were all like minded people but in pursuance to that meeting of minds not everybody went forward and did some act.
"Like one of them who has been arrested from Jodhpur has been identified as Barkat. Explosives and other incrementing stuff were recovered from him and he had even supplied explosives to Shaquib. Others had attended the meeting and Rajasthan Police is collecting evidence in this regard," the official said.
Sources also said that so far Delhi Police is not involved in their interrogation but if something related to Delhi comes up, they may also investigate them.
